Van Barneveld on change of mentality ahead of World Darts Championship return: "I’m still a sore b*****d when I lose"

Raymond van Barneveld is set for his PDC World Darts Championship return this evening when he faces off against Lourence Ilagan.

Van Barneveld credited his girlfriend Julia for his return to the Alexandra Palace and discussed that his bad loser mentality is still there.

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“Julia gave me so much love and understanding, she is always there for me. She told me to have belief in my head, you are a five-times world champion, the fans adore you," said Van Barneveld to Oche.

“I can’t give you an explanation why the crowd loves me. Maybe because I try to be myself. If I’m hurt then the whole world sees that, it’s not an act. He doesn’t blame anything, I blame myself.

“But maybe I’m sometimes too hard on myself. I just want to have fun at the moment, I love being on stage. I’m still a sore b*****d when I lose, that will never change.

“But it’s getting better, I can sort it out better. I was normally straight away texting people, I don’t do that now.”

He added: “I wasn’t myself, it was a disaster for people around me. You keep losing, you keep losing faith. I was devastated by that last World Championship.

“I was trying to visualise what it must feel like to lift that trophy again and be in the final.

“The floor was literally gone beneath my feet. I couldn’t believe that Darin Young beat me. I thought ‘Wow is this really the end?’

“When I came back I thought I can’t retire like this. It doesn’t feel right to say goodbye to the fans like this. Maybe there was always a small voice that said in my head, you’ll get another chance.

“From that time I was completely done. Then of course I met my old manager and the road to come back started.”